Maldon

For over 2000 years the east coast of Essex has played host to the age to old craft of harvesting salt from the sea. From the Iron age through to Saxon times, the estuaries and surrounding marshes were at the centre of the salt making industry and the reddened earth and broken earthenware pots that form the Red Hills of Essex, are evidence of early salt production. These mounds of industrial waste are remnants of coarse pottery vessels, ash and scorched clay from fires used to heat the sea water. It is thought that during high tide, sea water was trapped in clay pans cut into the river bank where it was left to partially evaporate in the sun. The resulting brine was transferred into clay pots where it was heated over open fires. When evaporation was complete, the pots were broken open and the salt removed.